Railway-signal



3 Sheets-Sheet 1. P. LONG & W. S. TURNEY.

(No Model.)

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

.254. Patented ApLZ l, 1883.

INVENTUREI N, VFEYERS. Pmwmu n nu, Wa sbiugton. n. a

(No Model.) 3 Sheei:s-Sheet 2.

P. LUNG & W. s. TURNEY.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 276,254. Patented Apr. 24, 1883.

WITNEEEE'EI (NoModeL) 3 Sheets-Sheep 3;

P. LONG & SJTURNEY.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 276,254. Patehted Apr. 24, 1883.

WI TNEEEEE:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER LONGAND WILLIAM S. TURNEY, OF GREENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA:

RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,254, dated April24, 1883. Application filed December 12, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, PETER LONG and WILLIAM S. TURNEY, of Greensburg, inthe tus in position; Fig. 2, a face view of the signal and timemechanism enlarged; Fig. 3, a view showing the signal in a form suitablefor railway use; Fig. 4, a face view of the time mechanism andsignal-setting mechanism, with the dial-plate removed; Figs. 5 and 6,views illustrating the manner of releasing or disconnecting the,time-indicating hand from the clock-train and causing it to act upon thesignal, Figs. 7, 8, and 9, views illustrating the trip mechanismoperated by the train; Fig. 10, a view showing the sliding joint of theconnecting-rod and manual setting devices.

Our invention is designed to show to the engineer or conductor of afollowingtrain the precise length of time that may have elapsed sincethe passing of the preceding train up to a given time thereafter, whichtime will be sufficiently long to insure a safe distance between trains;and in order that there may be no chance of mistake on the part of theengineer or conductor of the second or following train, we provide fordisplaying for a stated length of time of a danger-signal.

Referring now to the drawings, ourinvention will be explained; but itshould be stated here that we do not confine ourselves to the preciseconstruction and arrangement of mechanism herein shown and described, asthe same principle-may be embodied in a variety of forms of apparatus,the essential features being the display for a predetermined length oftime of the signal and its removal at' the end of that time, and in theuse of a time-indicatin g mechanism in connection with the signal to.

show when it was last displayed.

in order that it may operate the signal-releasing devices only whenpulled down.

Upon the rock-shaft E is secured a cam, a, which bears upon a spring,I), which spring is designed to be of suflicient strength to hold thearm or lever D of the rock-shaft in the posi' tion shown in Figs. 1 and7, against a pressure of from two to three hundred pounds or moreapplied to said lever, in order that the latter may not be depressed bypersons treading upon the same.

In practice it is intended that the spring 11 and the working-face ofcam a. shall both be below the level of box or casing c, in which thespring is seated, the box in such case serving as an oil-receptacle, thepresence of the oil answering to prevent rusting and to insure the easyworking of the parts. The casing or box 0 will be provided with a cap,d, to exclude dirt, snow, rain, 8150., and to prevent parties frommeddling with the spring or cam.

When the apparatus is employed for doubletrack roads there will be oneapparatus for each track; but where a single track is used the twosignaling devices will be applied to opposite sides of the same track,in which latter case the leverD should be in the form shown in Fig. 8,and arranged to stand upright, so that it may be moved either way,according to the direction of the train, though serving to operate thesign al mechanism only when moved inone stated direction. This will beunder stood by referring to Figs. 1 and 9, where it will be seen thatrod G, by which the movements of lever D, rock-shaft E, and crank F aretransmitted to the signal-controllin g mechanism, is provided .with aloose sliding joint, so that when crank F is elevated it simply raisesthe lower section of the rod without affecting the upper section but ifthe crankarm be moved down it draws upon the rod,

and the two parts mgvin g together operate the signal releasing orsetting devices.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, the

signal mechanism proper will be explained.

' which carries the hand h, by which the timeis marked on the dial, thetime being marked preferably in minutes. The sleeve or tubular stem 9 isfurnished with a friction-disk, 'i, to bear upon and receive motion fromthe firstmentioned disk,f, and it is also formed with a hub or collar,j, to form a bearing-surface for aspring-arm, k, by which the two'disks'are pressed together with sufficient force to insure the rotationof disk 1' with and by disk f, such frictional contact or engagement ofthe two disksforming the only connection between the impelling-train ofthe time mechanism and the hand or indicator h, driven thereby.

Attached to and coiled about the tubular sleeve 9 is a spring, 1, whichwill in practice he of considerable strength, though materially lighterand weaker than the driving-spring of the time-movement, because theoperation of the train or time mechanism by the main driving-springserves to coil or wind up the secondary spring I, one end of which isattached to sleeve 9, as above stated, while the other endis made fastto a fixed post.

The time-movement, being wound and set in motion, rotates the sleeve g,as above ex.- plained, and coils or winds up the spring I, this actioncontinuing, unless interrupted by the passing of a train, until the handh, carried by said sleeve, comes in contact with a stop,m, (shown inFig.2,) when the mechanism stops, leaving the spring I coiled or woundup and under considerable compression. If, now, the pressure ofspring-arm k be removed from hubj, the friction between disksfandt'would be destroyed and the sleeve 9 would be rotated backward throughthe tendency of spring l to unwind or straighten out, and, in thusrotating, the sleeve would carry backward the hand or indicator h. Thisrelease or retraction of arm-7c is effected by the drawing down of rodG, the arm being pivoted at one end, and the rod G being connected withthe arm, as shown, so that as the wheels of a train pass over the arm orlever to the arm will be drawn down oft of hub j, though it is returnedto its normal position after the passage of the train by a spring, a,one end of which is attached to the arm 70 and the other end to a fixedstud or post, 0, as shown in Fig. 4. The rotation of sleeve 9 in eitherdirection is limited by an ,arm,p, with which it is provided, cominginto contact with a stop-pin, q.

In order that the spring-pressure arm It may properly press the disks ft together, yet freely -ride over and upon the hub j, its end is formedwith a bearing-lip, 0', which rests upon an incline, s, which'serves tohold the arm 70 up off of and above the hub in passing over the edge ofthe same, but terminates or sinks to permit the arm to bear upon the huband clear the incline just after passing over the edge of saidhub.

I represents a signal-plate, which may be opaque or transparent, and, ifthelatter, may be made to move over or in front of a fixed light, or itmay be lighted by reflected light, both'of which plans are common andtherefore need no explanation. The plate? is shown in Fig. 2 as formedwith a hole or eye at one end, fitting loosely around the sleeve 9 andturning or swinging freely about said sleeve as a center or pivot, theplate being so formed or adjusted that its center of gravity fallsalways at one side of its. pivotal center, so that the plate shall fallby reason of its own weight when not held up by the clock-hand -h, aspresently explained.

J'is a sheath or guard behind which the sig-. nal-plate I falls, and bywhich it is hidden from view. In practice, the plate 1 will'be paintedor colored red, or whatever color is adopted by the road as adanger-signal, and the shield or guard J will be given the color of thesafety-signals.

The operation of the device is as follows: Assuming that the timemechanism has been wound, the hand It will be moved backward to the markor numeral XII, or the startingpoint, and in being thus moved willstrike a lip or ear, to, on the plate I, and consequently carry saidplate upward from behind the guard or shield and present it to view. Thetime mechanism then runs on, and just as the hand It moves forward, thesignal-plate I descends behind its shield or guard, the lip or car a ofsaid signal-plate bearing against the hand, and thus preventing thesignal from falling,

except as the hand moves before the ear on In the drawings wehave shownthe upper edge of the shield or guard placed a distance from thestartingpointor twelve mark equal to ten minutes on the dial-plate 5hence the signal would remain in view ten minutes, and would then behidden but, instead of .ten minutes, a longer or a shorter time may beadopted. As the signal-plate passes out of sight behind the guard orshield J its movement is arrested by the latter; but the hand Itcontinues to travel forward until the next train arrives, or until arm19 reaches the stop g, which latter would be at the end of fifty-fiveminutes with the dial marked as shown. The time may be made longer orshorter, as required, by increasing or diminishing the divisions ormarkings on the dial and regulating the clock-train and esoapementaccordingly. The engineer and conductor of a second train ICO IIO

canthus ascertain the precise lengthof time elapsed since the passage ofapreceding train at the same point by simply looking at the ,clock,unless such time exceeds the fiftyfive minutes or other limitgiven tothe clock, and it the trains are less than ten minutes apartthey willalso be warned by the dangersignal I. t

The apparatus will of course be made sufficiently-large and strongtooperate and display signals of ordinary size and form but to enable themto be operated with the least practicable amount of power they will benearly balanced by counter-weights, springs, or other well-known means.

In Fig. 3 the. signals are shown as arranged tooperate at right anglesto the face of the clock or time mechanism-a plan that will be foundadvantageous in practice in some places.

If fifty-five minutes, or such other time as may.

be adopted as. a limit, shall have expired before the arrival of thesecond train, the engineer will know that the road is clear, and if lesstime has elapsed he will know how to regulate the speed of the train,because informed of the time exactly. The second train, passing over thelever D, draws down the spring-arm k, as before explained, permitting.springl to carry the hand it back to twelve and to raise the signal forthe next train, the hand 71. traveling again forward and indicating thetime of departure of the preceding train to the one next arriving, as inthe first instance.

. In orderthat thesignal may be set by flagmen or other employs of theroad, we provide the post or.boxB with a hole or opening, a, throughwhich a switch-key or other instrument may be inserted to turn an arm,20, which, acting upon rod Gr, causes the signal to be displayed I It-isobvious that any form of .motor may be employed, and that weights may besubstituted for springs; ,also that a sliding collar moved by anelbow-lever or equivalent means may be substituted for the arm.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. In combinationwith a signal mechanism substantially such as shown and described, alever located by the side of the track, and adapted to. be moved by andin the direction of a passing train, and arod or connection between thelever and the signal mechanism, provided with a sliding joint, whereby atrain passing in one direction is caused to operatethe signal mechanism,but a train in the opposite direction is prevented from actuating thesame. t

' 2. In combination with a signal mechanism, snbstantiallysuch as shownand described, a rock-shaft provided with an upright lever to be movedby a passing train, with .a crank-arm to actuate the signal-controllingdevices, and with a cam on block, and a flat spring placed beneath theblock and adapted to retain the lever normally in. position to be struckby a [passing traim-whereby the rock-shaft is perthe direction of thetrain, and is caused to return to an upright position after movementineither direction.

3. In combination with a signal. mechanism 'substantially suchasdescribed and shown, a rook-shaft provided with a lever to be actuatedby the wheels of a'passing train, and with a cam or block, a springplaced beneath said cam or block, and a case or boxadapted to containthe spring and to hold a supply of oil above the top of the spring. r

4.. In combination with a clock or timemovement provided with a spindlebearing a friction-disk, a second friction-disk arranged to bear uponand to be moved by the'first, a

hand or indicator, and a gravitating signal adapted and arranged to beheld, up by the hand until the latter travels beyond a given point. y

5. In combination with a hand or indicator of a time mechanism, asignal-arm overhanging said hand and supported thereby, substantia-llyas shown, a shieldand a stop arranged in the path of the signal-arm,whereby the-signal-arin is held up 'by the handuntil the signal passesbehind the shield and the arm strikesagainst the stop, while the handcontinues its forward movement, substantially as and for the purposeexplained.

6. In combination with a time-movement having its time-indicatin g handconnected with the im pellin g mechanism by friction-disks, and arrangedto elevate and support a signal, a movable arm arranged to be moved toor from one of said friction-disks, substantially as explained, and toproduce or destroy the frictional contact between them, and a leverarranged by the side of the track and connected with said arm. t

7. In a signaling device, the combination of a motor provided with aclutch, hub, or disk, a second disk bearing a hand or indicator, andprovided with a spring arranged to operate in bearing armoverhanging theindicator-baud, and means, substantially such as described and shown,for engaging the clutch, hubs, or disks.

8. In a railway-signal mechanism, the combination of a motor, H,provided with a disk, f, a second disk, 2', bearing a hand, h, andconnected with a spring, I, an arm, 7c, arranged to be moved toor fromone of said disks and to produce or destroy the engagement of the disks,a spring, a, adapted and arranged to hold the arm is normally incontactwith the disk, a lever located beside the railway'track in position tobe movedbya passing train, and a pivoted signalor signalbearing armoverhanging the indicator and adapted to be raised and lowered thereby,substantially as set forth. I

9. The hereindescribedsignal apparatus,

sleeve attached to said disk and bearing a mitted to turn ineithendirection according to IIO the opposite direction to the motor, asignal-I spring 1, arm 70,

anism, provided with arm w and inclosed within a post, B, said postbeing provided with a hole, 0;, to receive a key or instrumen twherebythe rod may be moved manually and the 15 signal operated independentlyof the trains.

PETER LONG. WILLIAM S. TURNEY.

consisting of motor E, bearing-disk f, disk i, provided with hand h andconnected with spring at, rod G, rock-shaft E, provided with lever D andcrank-arm F, and a signal overhanging the hand h, all substantially asshown and described.

10. In combination with signal mechanism O, substantially such asdescribed and shown, rock-shaft E, provided with lever D and crank-armF, and the intermediate arm, Gr, connecting the crank-arm and signalmech- Witnesses WILLIAM W. DODGE, WALTER S. DODGE.

